Oct. 22, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky men’s tennis team was represented well Friday in the USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional Indoor Championships singles and doubles main draw, advancing five players to the second round of singles and two doubles duos to the doubles quarterfinals.
The tournament was separated in two parts Friday, with doubles action being played in the morning and singles in the afternoon. Kentucky performed well in the doubles portion, getting two teams to the quarterfinals. No. 1-seeded Eric Quigley and Brad Cox were impressive in both of their matches, claiming a first-round victory over qualifier Jan-Frans Englebrecht and Matt Manasse of Purdue 8-2 before taking down Alex Divalerio and Bryant Salcedo of Vanderbilt 8-6. Quigley/Cox will play in the quarterfinals at 10 a.m. at UK against Simon Childs and Andrew Carter of Louisville.
Sophomore Anthony Rossi and junior Alex Musialek are Kentucky’s other doubles duo in the quarterfinals of the main draw. Rossi/Musialek started the day with a win over Dalton Albertin and Zane Smith of Ball State 9-7. In the second round, Rossi/Musialek won a hard-fought battle with David O’Hare and Joe Salisbury of Memphis 9-8 (14), moving into the quarterfinals. The UK duo will take on No. 2-seeded J.P. Smith and Tennys Sandgren of Tennessee at 10 a.m. Friday at UK.
UK’s qualifying doubles team of freshman Maks Gold and junior Matt Davis were also in action Friday. Gold/Davis fell in the opening round of the main draw to a tough doubles team of Rhyne Williams and Edward Jones of Tennessee 9-7. Gold/Davis qualified for the event after posting two impressive victories in qualifying Thursday.
In singles action, the Wildcats only lost one match in the main draw Friday, advancing five players to the second round. Senior Alberto Gonzalez started the action with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Jackson Tresnan of UT-Chattanooga, while Musialek, the No. 6 seed in the tournament, and Quigley, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, also won in straight sets. Musialek defeated Josh Girling of Tennessee Tech 6-2, 6-4 before Quigley joined his UK teammate in the second round with a 6-1, 7-6 (6) win over Zane Smith of Ball State.
Rossi and Cox had a harder battle to the second round with both players claiming three-set thrillers in the opening round. Rossi took down Alex Chen of Tennessee Tech 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, while Cox posted a come-from-behind victory over Roberto Viera of UT-Chattanooga 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-2.
Gold, who qualified for the singles main draw with a victory Thursday, fell in the first round of the singles main draw Friday to No. 11-seeded Sander Gille of East Tennessee State 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. Junior Chris Leeper also played in a consolation match, falling to Evan Neuman of Wright State 7-5, 7-5.
Play will continue Saturday with the second and third rounds of the singles main draw and the quarterfinals of the doubles main draw. The doubles quarterfinals will be played at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Complex starting at 10 a.m., while all singles matches will be at the Lexington Tennis Club.
For complete coverage of the 2010 USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional Indoor Championships go to UKathletics.com.
